Year: 2023 | Month: December | Volume: 10 | Issue: 12 | Pages: 845-853
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijrr.20231285
Exploiting BRAF Mutation for Treatment of Malignant Melanoma: A Literature Review
Vanesya Rizky Chendriadi1, Willy Sandhika2
1Medical Study Program, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya 60132, Indonesia
2Department of Anatomic Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya 60132, Indonesia
Corresponding Author: Willy Sandhika
ABSTRACT
Malignant melanoma, a deadly type of skin cancer, presents considerable challenges in clinical management. However, the advent of targeted therapies capitalizing on BRAF mutations has ushered in a new era of optimism for treating melanomas. This investigation delves into the utilization of BRAF mutations as a focused approach in addressing malignant melanoma. Anomalously activated RAS-RAF-MEK-ERK signaling, particularly through the prevalent V600E mutation, instigates uncontrolled cell proliferation and survival in melanocytes. Melanoma arises de novo from melanocytes carrying genetic alterations, with RAF mutations being the most common. Mutated RAF genes, notably the V600E mutation, induce dysregulated cell cycle progression, fueling unchecked proliferation. Given that RAF is a pivotal component of the RAS-MAPK pathway, manipulating this pathway emerges as a promising strategy to impede cancer growth. However, not all melanoma cases exhibit RAS mutations, necessitating molecular testing to identify BRAF mutations before initiating targeted therapy. Detecting typically somatic BRAF mutations mandates melanoma tissue as a specimen. The presence of V600E BRAF mutations becomes a crucial factor for employing BRAF inhibitor therapy. This review article underscores the imperative nature of RAF mutation testing in melanoma patients, serving as a predictive tool to determine the cancer's responsiveness to RAF inhibitor treatment. The identification of BRAF mutations offers a targeted therapeutic avenue, instilling fresh hope for personalized and effective interventions in the management of malignant melanoma.
Keywords: skin cancer; melanoma; braf mutation
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